(continued from May issue)

4.1 Concept of Stress

Alcohol is also is not a solution. It just benumbs the senses. Excessive drinking has many side-effects like cirrhosis of the liver, loss of appetite, etc. In the villages, drinking ruins the entire family as the villager spends literally all his earnings on drinking and hardly hands over any money to the housewife not even for the provisions of the house.

The dangerous effects of excessive sex in a free-society are well-known. AIDS is the modern scary danger for the advocates of free-sex. Even otherwise, sex is stimulating in character and in the end tires out the system.

Extensive research in the pharmaceutical industry has led to the development of a large number of tranquillizers and sedatives. If one calculates the total production of the pharmaceutical industry the world over, the tonnage of such tranquillizers equals the tonnage of all the rest of the drugs produced in the world today. These tablets only sedate the pain centres and block sensations. The stress and tension is not released in the encounter and hence eventually, they will take their toll and damage the system. It is a kind of suppression and not a real solution to the problem. But that is the best the medical world can offer.

Drug cults are spreading fast especially among the younger generation of the modern era although it appears that the psychedelic drugs are used more for intense thrill and excitement than for stress management. It is the effect of the innate tension and “the rush to get the maximum in a minimum time”. The devastating consequences of major psychedelic drugs are well-recognised and even the advocates of a total 'free-life' dare not support the drug cults.

Management research has found it necessary for executives especially of the A-type to change their lifestyle itself and to have a low profile. Prof. Sylve, the new pathfinder of ‘Stress Management’ strongly recommends all executives to come out of the ‘mad rush’ and the ‘executive speed’ and presents a series of dos and don’ts. Thus, it is evident that the best bet according to the modern research is to work with a low-profile.

Let us now proceed to understand the concept of stress and its management according to Yoga.

CONCEPT OF STRESS AND IT'S MANAGEMENT IN YOGA

Stress according to Yoga is imbalance. Imbalance is misery. At the mental and physical levels, it is excessive speed and thus, a demanding situation which causes pain and leads to ailments and diseases. Imbalances at the emotional level manifest as upsurges which are caused by strong likes and dislikes. At the psychological level the imbalances lead to conflicts and often manifest as petty and narrow ego-centric behaviour. Lack of holistic knowledge and a balanced outlook, at the subtle levels are responsible for imbalances found at gross levels.

Thus, while understanding stress, a holistic concept of man is kept in view and not merely his bodily existence. The Taittirèya Upaniúat has presented this holistic concept of man systematically as having five major sheaths of existence.

Stress is studied and understood at the body level physical by modern medical systems as an imbalance of the neuro-endocrine systems and the neuro-transmitter level. Emotional imbalances in the form of strong likes and dislikes bring about imbalances in Pra+n<a (the vital energy) in the Pra+n<a+maya Kos&a which percolates to the Annamaya Kos&a causing stress symptoms and hazards. Origin of desires and action guided by strong likes and dislikes (and not by what is right and wrong) will be the expression of imbalance at Manomaya Kos&a. In Vijn~a+namaya, the Avidya+ goes on reducing until in A+nandamaya Kos&a it is all bliss. This state is the totally stress-free state.

(to be continued in the next issue)